The 2018 Outfit Along

The Outfit Along turns five this year! The Outfit Along is an annual craft-along thats pairs a sew-along with a knit-along to create a custom outfit. As with previous years, it’s co-hosted by me and Lauren from LLADYBIRD and will run June 1st through July 31. Lauren will be covering the sewing half of things on her blog LLADYBIRD, and I’ll be covering the knitting portion here on the Untangling Knots blog.

The official outfit this year features an easy knit and slightly more challenging sewing pattern. We’ve done the opposite a few times in the past, and I’m excited to mix things up a bit. Our official patterns are True Bias Lander Pant & Short and my Waters linen tee. The relaxing knitting is just the thing to balance out a sewing project that takes some focus, and you can get Waters for 20% off through June 1st when you use the coupon code OAL2018 on Ravelry.

Not a fan of one or both of the official patterns? That’s okay! We want you to make an outfit you’ll truly wear, so you can choose your own patterns. The only requirement is to knit a garment and sew a garment to make an adult-sized outfit.

The OAL starts on June 1st and you’ll have until July 31st to complete both pieces and share a photo of them in the Finished OAL 2018 Outfits thread in the Untangling Knots group on Ravelry. The main place for conversation will be the Untangling Knots group, but the hashtag #OAL2018 will let you connect with other participants on Instagram.

If you finish your outfit by midnight PST on July 31st and post in the OAL 2018 FO thread in the Untangling Knots group, you’ll be entered to win one of three prizes. Winners will be randomly selected and each will get four Untangling Knots patterns of their choice, a $25 gift certificate from The Confident Stitch, and a $50 gift certificate from Indie Stitches.

FAQ

Is it really okay if I don’t make the official patterns?
We want you to make an outfit you’ll actually wear, so we do mean it when we say you can choose your own patterns if you don’t like the official ones. You don’t even have to pick an Untangling Knots knitting pattern. Pick the knitting and sewing patterns that will make the outfit you like best. The only thing you’ll miss out on if you don’t make the official patterns is the extra help that will be available through the OAL blog posts.

What qualifies as a garment? Can I knit socks or a shawl?
For the OAL, garments need to be something like a skirt, a dress, a pair of shorts, a pair of pants, a tank, a tee, a pullover, a cardigan, etc. Hosiery and accessories like socks and shawls don’t count as your knit item for the OAL. They’re not a substantial piece of an outfit.

Can I sew a top and knit a sweater to go with store-bought skirts or pants?
Yes, you just need to knit a garment and sew a garment to participate. If you need an extra piece to make a full outfit, you don’t have to knit or sew the third piece.

Can I make more than one outfit or extra pieces to go with my outfit?
Yes! There are no extra prize entries for additional pieces, but if you’re having fun and want to keep going, please do. Some ambitious crafters challenge themselves to make as many outfits as possible during the OAL.

Can I start before June 1st or use a WIP?
We would prefer it if you didn’t, but this isn’t something we enforce. The whole idea behind a craft-along is to craft along with other people, so starting early isn’t in the spirit of the event, but it’s not a hard rule because we can’t realistically keep track of that.

Can I make an outfit for someone else?
Yes, but with some limitations. We’d like outfits to be for teens or adults to keep all projects at a similar scale and difficulty level. Knitting a toddler’s sweater is very different from knitting one for an adult, so outfits for small children aren’t part of the OAL.

Can I substitute a crocheted garment for a knit garment?
Yes, they’re similar enough in skill and effort.

I missed the official start date. Can I still join?
Of course! You don’t need to sign up or anything like that by a certain date. You just need to finish your two pieces by July 31st, so if you feel like you still have enough time, dive right in.